It's a beautiful spot for swimming, or to launch your kayak from. Great for picnics and it's very…read moreeasy to access and handicap accessible. The con is the putrid smell from the unclean restrooms and the garbage is overflowing. I went up several times with my grandchildren and truly it was not kept up. Such a shame as it is a popular tourist and local destination.

Good place to visit!…read more Duke Energy worked with the city/state/County? to build this beach/Park. Nice parking spots on both sides of the road. Bathrooms located up in the parking area. A nice ramp down all the way to the water. Seriously, you could wheel a wheelchair all the way into the lake. The sand is very nice. And you can easily swim out to and hold onto the barriers. There's a dock off to one side where you can fish off of. We'll thought out and done pretty well. They even have donated life jackets for kids hanging here at the beach! My reasons for 4 instead of 5 stars: Dogs. The path down to the beach was littered with dog poop. On the path, on the side, everywhere! It was gross and unsanitary. Don't know if dogs are allowed on the beach, but they've turned the park area to crap. The beach is quite small. I do believe too small to support all the parking. The beach is very steep. I know it's the mountains, but if you're going to drain the lake and make a beach, a gentler slope to the beach for the little ones would've been preferable. A larger swim area. Some people just want to swim! Maybe another 10 feet out into the lake for swimming, not just waking.

Beautiful area to walk and enjoy the scenery. We came with my grandma, who cannot walk long…read moredistances. She has a wheelchair and I was happy to see the paths around us were all paved, so we were able to push her along them easily. We didn't venture onto any paths with elevation; the main path we chose followed the river and there were lots of areas to walk down to get a close up view or even wade if inclined. The path was shady also which was nice. I loved seeing the waterfall by the river right by the parking lot. This was a great time and I'd definitely return to explore some more paths or take a longer trek.

This was by far one of the best hikes we've done in the area. A quick drive from Mineral Bluff and…read moreunlike many of the hikes we've done in this area the drive up to the parking area was easy and able to be accessed in any vehicle. The hike was a bit challenging in some areas but truly worth every step!

The World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville is a historic and active public space built for the…read more1982 World's Fair. It is home to iconic landmarks like the Sunsphere, a 266-foot gold-domed observation tower, and the Tennessee Amphitheater. Today, the park serves as a hub for major festivals, community gatherings, and recreation. Very welcoming space, lots to enjoy, always busy! The sphere is a focal point, when you go through Knoxville on I-40.

The historic World's Fair Park in Knoxville is lovely in the Spring. Dogwoods and other flowering…read moretrees were in bloom during my visit. The Park was at the center of the 1982 World's Fair. Today, the park is a beautiful green space for residents and visitors. The Sunsphere and the Amphitheater are the only remaining structures from the World's Fair in the park. The Sunsphere is opened to visitors. The Amphitheater was shuttered for the winter and in need of a facelift. Several interesting architectural features (posts and statue) are located throughout the park. A colorful bridge passes over the park and waterway. The Park is filled with accessible walkways, a water feature/fountain. A rail trail passes through the park for walkers and runners. We found free parking at the south side of the park. I did not see restroom facilities. Dogs on leases are allowed everywhere except in the fountain area.

Our national parks are such a treasure and the Great Smoky Mountains Park was no exception. We…read morevisited in mid Oct and the leaves were just changing so lots of bright greens and yellows and just the start of the reds. When the sun hit the colors it was just so beautiful. All the trails were lovely. We really enjoyed Rainbow falls with its 80 foot drop. The Alum Cave Bluff Trail was so cool at the top as you rested under a huge rock overhang. The views from Kuwohi were stunning. I would suggest taking the trail rather than the paved path. It's a little bit longer but it's shady. The paved path is so steep. We were not a fan of Cade's Cove. Apparently, there are often bear sightings there but all we saw were a few turkeys. The traffic was atrocious. We did do Abrams trail at the middle of the loop. Parking for that trail was the easiest of all trails we did. A national park pass is not required but you do need a parking pass. Ours was $10 for the week. You are allowed to drive through the park for free but if you park longer than 15 min you need a pass. I did see rangers ticketing cars.

Been wanting to visit the Smoky Mountains and Appalachia and wow it is so beautiful. It's a free…read morenational park, which makes it even better. If you are parking for more than 15 minutes anywhere, you must buy a daily parking pass though ($5 per day). These can be purchased at any information center. The mountains and nature are breathtaking. We even saw so many elk and wild turkeys early in the morning while we drove through!! We also saw a black bear. Many hikes and nature trails to choose from, including ones that are completely drivable. Kuwohi Observation Tower: Easy paved uphill walk. Do not go in the early morning when the fog is thick because you will not be able to see anything. Alum Cave Trail: Pretty easy trail. Beautiful nature and cool rocks to look at. Took about 3 hours roundtrip to reach inspiration point. Cades Cove: A drivable scenic loop road. 11 miles one way. Took about an hour or so driving very slowly enjoying the scenery. Saw a black bear that held up traffic. It is closed to cars on Wednesdays to open it up to walkers and bicycles.

This is a beautiful and very clean rest stop. No overnight parking, but a great place to stretch…read moreyour legs.

Very nice park with a pool, ball fields etc. Well maintained and a nice spot to visitread more

A great stop while driving through Pisgah National Forest. It is a…read more massive, 60-foot sloping mountain waterfall that flows over a smooth, gently slanted granite boulder. The mountain stream creates a completely natural, high-speed water slide. When we visited there was no one in the water, but it was still worth stopping to see it. There was a wooden observation decks with steps running alongside the rock.

Another hidden gem in Pisgah National Forest is this place. To enter, you need to go through the…read moregated entrance which is currently unmanned until the tourist season begins which I believe is coming up soon. Then it will be $5 per person, not car. It was nice watching people enjoy the water.

We were able to visit Anakeesta on our recent visit to Gatlinburg and it was an amazing experience…read more This is something I had missed last trip and if you don't know about it, it appears small and tucked away. Upon going, it certainly is neither! Taking a cable car up from the main street in Gatlinburg transports you to a perfect viewing platform up in the middle of incredible views, autumn breezes and mountain top fun. Some of our highlights were the lookout tower even higher up within Anakeesta for some breathtaking views, the tree top trail at night to see the firefly experience and the theming and all around vibe of the Octoberfest style festival. The firefly experience was worth our visit alone, where we had a fully immersive experience walking high on the rope bridges at night amongst the trees with a massive audio and visual production that was captivating from start to finish!

Anakeesta was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Gatlinburg! We visited in October…read moreduring their "Bear-Varian" Fall Festival, and the Halloween and fall decorations were great! We started our day by taking the gondola up the mountain. The line was long but moved surprisingly fast! If you're afraid of heights, the mountain rises along with you, so it doesn't feel like such a huge drop. Coming back down at night was especially gorgeous with all the city lights! There was so much to enjoy, including shopping, live music, and amazing mountain views! Some of our group participated in the beer tasting, which I believe included 5-6 drinks for around $25, pretty great deal. I especially loved the skybridge and all the beautiful overlooks! It was definitely crowded, but we likely visited during peak hours. Some of our group even enjoyed Anakeesta more than Dollywood! Personally, I can't compare the two because they offer such different experiences, but I loved both! Would love to come back again during the fall season

Have been coming here for the past several years. We have a boat docked here year-round to enjoy…read more The lovely Lake Chatuge is settled between two states and the two towns of Hiawassee, Georgia and Hayesville, North Carolina. "This pristine lake has 132 miles of shoreline and is ideal for fishing, swimming, boating and camping. A part of the Nantahala National Forest in Clay County, North Carolina, it is one of the most scenic lakes in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) water system. This pristine lake, exquisitely nestled between the Tusquitee Mountains. Visitors enjoy casual walks along the dam with its spectacular view of the lake and surrounding mountains. The lake has numerous outcrops of land forming numerous private coves that are for great fishing, swimming, boating, and water sports. The fishing is great with more than 32 species in the lake."

What a clean Nice park with beautiful views and a great swimming area! I loved this area so much I…read moream buying a cabin in the area..

We like to go here and take a walk on the dam and enjoy the view of the lake and take in the fresh…read moremountain air!

What a beautiful trail! There's plenty of free parking and it's open until 10 pm. Lake Chatuge…read morestraddles North Carolina and Georgia. You can catch glimpses of it from the Jackrabbit Mountain Recreation area (if you feel like hiking or mountain biking) but the beauty is near the dam. Built in 1941 and named after a Cherokee settlement, Chatuge Dam is 150 feet high and stretches 3,336 feet across the Hiwassee River. The Nantahala National Forest surrounds the dam and NC section of the reservoir, the Chattahoochee National Forest surrounds the GA section. Chatuge Dam Trail is 1.5 miles, paved and open to walkers, hikers, bikers and runners. It's ADA accessible, perfect for those with mobility issues and babies in strollers. The trail leads through the woods (where I didn't venture) and to two nearby campsites. The breathtaking views are stunning! Lake Chatuge reflects the sun so it looks different in the morning and in the evening. You're surrounded by some of the tallest mountains in Georgia, which are sometimes backlit with hues of purple. The colorful autumn leaves and the stillness of the lake really bring a sense of calm. There were families, couples strolling hand in hand, kids on bikes and seniors. The trail can be accessed from Chatuge Dam Road or Clay County Park which offers bathrooms, fishing access, a playground, ballpark, pavilions, camping & a small sandy beach with a swimming area. Pets on a leash are welcome! Chatuge Dam Trail is definitely worth a trip!